2024-25 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

Yeah, i don't know if some team will pay him the full MLE. He is friends with Luka though, and they have good chemistry. And, as mentioned, he has intangibles. He has that dog in him too. A solid veteran presence. So he has value to the Lakers in particular, in that regard. His corner shooting is legit. He is just not much else anymore, but he also has the ability to play multiple positions decently, but he is not above average at any particular position either. Maybe he gets 3/36 with a team option in the third year.

 

I like Suggs the player a lot, but with people noting Isaac’s injury history, I’m surprised nobody has brought up the MAJOR injury concerns with Suggs as well. Games played in his 4 seasons:

48
53
75
35

Guy just cannot stay healthy. He’d be worth the risk on his rookie contract, but at $35M? Not a chance.

 

Yeah, if we could get this guy, we should go for it. Nobody talks about his value contract either. He makes exact same as AR.

 

I might want to take the chance. He is excellent 3 and D. We had Danny Green with no knees left.

 

Over 2.5x the salary and he’s missed 30-50 games in 3 out of 4 seasons. Cant afford to commit that much money on a gamble that a guy finally gets healthy.

 

I would kick the tires on Thybulle also.

 

Fair enough. Lakers hold AR in such high regard to they only want an all-star caliber player for him. He is a great player, and has excellent value. We need a rim-running center (generally not all-stars), and at least one 3 and D player at a wing or guard position (usually an excellent role-player type). So it might be an offensive star (with average defense) for defensive star type trade (with average offense. That suggests these Herb Jones type trades. Maybe AR+ Rui + Kleber + 2031 pick for Jones + Zion or something like that. Or ship Zion to a third team for a rim-running big (more of a center)? Then we are talking about the quality for quantity trade that the Lakers are suggesting they are not looking for?

 

Houston Reaves? Send him there for Thompson? I know he needs to work on his shot, but Thompson is the real deal. Future DPOY.

 

WHF ,another record but this time it's nothing to get excited

first quarter of the game 4 in playoff series between Nuggets and OKLAHOMA thunder ended with a score of 8:17. The players of both teams scored 25 points in total, which is the lowest performance in the first quarter in the history of the NBA playoffs
Correction it's repeat of 2002 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Game 1: Toronto Raptors at Detroit Pistons April 21, 2002
score was 9-16

Oklahoma thunder shoot 6 out of 22 , including 1 out of 11 from 3 Denver nuggets– 2 for 22 and 0-14 from 3 points line

 

Lou Dort, Cason Wallace, and Mitchell Robinson also.

 

Isaac’s contract drops from 25m to 15m next year.

I think you have to look at it in this context:

LAL get: Herb Jones, Goga, Isaac
ORL get: Reaves, Gabe
NOL get: Vando, Shake, 31 First LAL, First ORL

Why do we do it, we get an All Defensive SF that can guard 1-4, a very good rim protecting 5 and we swap Vando for a better defensive version of himself in Isaac

Why does Orlando do it; they need guard help in the worst way and Reaves would be their best offensive guard immediately in a team that’s very defensive. They also get a 3&D guard in Gabe who would be useful for them (I’d happily offer them Kleber instead too). They get rid of Isaac’s contract.

Why New Orleans do it, they get two first for a rebuilding team and a decent defender in Vando as a replacement for Herb Jones. They can cut Shake’s 3m immediately or keep him as a bench piece.

We send out 40m in Reaves, Gabe, Vando and Shake and get back 37.3m in Herb, Goga and Isaac.

I know we all love Reaves but we need to improve at C, backup C and SF and we don’t have the draft capital to swing multiple trades so he is our best bet.

 

Is Goga a lob threat? I haven't seen much of him. Also, how is his rebounding. I might be on board with this trade though, I think the Lakers want to get a higher return. I think you are on the right track though. Lakers probably want a combo like Herb / Claxton or something like that. I think we could have Knecht start at one of the wings if we have an Herb Jones type at the other wing, and a defensive big with mobility.

 

You’re trading Vando which is considered a bad contract and Milton which is someone they’d cut pretty much straight away. So there’s probably a penalty there.

Herb Jones is an all defensive team guy. Last year he shot 40% and was a premier 3&D wing in the mold of OG or Bridges. That archetype is worth 2 picks. If he doesn’t find his shot again he is worth 1 and another 1 to get off Vando who we need to match salaries.

 

I just don’t think Houston will give him up. I don’t think Orlando will give up Suggs either.

But I think New Orleans will blow it up this offseason. Herb is getable.

 

I'm not sure if his injuries impacted his athleticism, but Herb is crazy athletic. I think people forget that about him because he is 6-8 and has a calm demeanor. Also, because he is known for his defensive prowess, and is playing in New Orleans.

 

We might as well try to get Zion too, even if it means flipping him somewhere else. Part of me thinks we low-key want Zion, but it also could be bad PR collecting over weight stars. But Lakers could also invest heavily into trainers/nutritionists and they could team up in the gym and prove everyone wrong. What teams out there would be a good fit for Zion, or would want him?

 

Not in the mould of Claxton or Gafford or other high flyers. But he is a very good rim protector and a good PNR finisher. You’d have multiple looks on the team with him, Isaac who is a good lob threat and Kleber who can pick and pop.

 

Houston could use a player liek aR though. they have a lot of defensive guys. They have that one guy Atari.

 

Herb is very athletic. We’d just have a lot of ways to play the game with this team.

We could run out a defensive lineup with NAW, Herb, DFS, Isaac, Goga if you need to get a stop on a single possession.

We could roll out a giant ‘small ball” lineup Luka 6’8, Herb 6’8, DFS 6’7, Lebron 6’9, Isaac 6’11.

We could roll out shooters with Luka, NAW, DFS, Lebron, Rui.

Play two towers with Isaac and Goga. Play two POA defenders in NAW and Herb.

The only issue I have is, like I said above, how many guys can be two way players consistently to find a lineup you can play with in the playoffs?

Luka (38) / NAW (10)
Herb (34) / NAW (14)
Rui (34) / DFS (14)
Lebron (34) / DFS (14)
Goga (28) / Isaac (20)

Goodwin, Knecht, Kleber on the deep bench.

Is that a championship level squad if healthy? We’d certainly have the defence. Can we score enough though? Luka, Lebron and Rui would have to carry most of that load.

 

Fair enough. I get the sense that the trade would not be "sexy" enough for the Lakers though. Herb Jones is a good start though for sure.